Someone Special
by regrets-collect93
Summary: Throwback Thursday: This was the first fanfiction I wrote, so I'll be reuploading a chapter every Thursday. I hope you enjoy! (Gabriella was a normal human girl who left Mystic Falls to escape the supernatural. Now she's back, and someone recognizes her from the past. And we all thought Kol had never loved before.) KolxOC
1. Prologue

Gabriella felt pain, and that is all she could feel. It was everywhere, and it made her vision grow darker by the second. Her legs were giving out, and she felt as though she were falling forever. But, someone caught her before she could reach the ground. She could barely see, but she willed her eyes to stay open. She could feel the blood coating her hands, and she wished that death would take her. It wasn't supposed to be like this- it was never supposed to be this painful.

She pulled the knife out, dropping it to the ground. There was something dripping down her face, and it was getting into her mouth. It tasted like a copper penny, and salt. She didn't like it- it was making her sick. She was getting light-headed. She looked around her. The man that made her do this was gone, and she could only see the shocked faces of the friends that helped her.

_Gabriella!_

She heard the voice of her angel calling her. She searched for his face, but all she could make out were bits and pieces. She saw his beautiful brown eyes. When she looked down a bit she saw the lips she craved to kiss. She felt something on her cheek, and she knew he was caressing her face. She wanted to lift her hands to touch his face too, but they wouldn't move. They were frozen in the same spot- covering the terrible wound on her abdomen.

_Gabriella! What has happened?_

That was a different voice- the voice of her friend. The girl who Gabriella envied for her beauty- the girl befriended by Gabriella within seconds of their first meeting. She didn't want to die now. She would rather turn and live out her days with them until she got back to her own time. This was too painful, and she didn't want to go. Why couldn't she have been sent to a time where death was easier?

_It's not working. Why won't she heal?_

She was slipping. She could hear her own heartbeat now- the noise filled her ears. There were no other sounds but the sound of her heart, and it was beating dangerously slow. She tried to keep her vision clear, but everything was going black. She couldn't see the eyes that she loved so dear. Her breathing was rapid, and she was beginning to let go. She felt her eyes begin to close, and the hand on her face slipped away.

She tried so hard to take another breath- to fight for life- but it was too difficult. It felt like she had an elephant standing on her chest, and she couldn't take a breath. She tried to look around one last time, but it was completely dark. She let her eyes slip closed, and she felt the magic taking over.


	2. Chapter 1

**Let me first start by explaining what Throwback Thursday is all about. This is the very first fanfiction I wrote, and I deleted it a while ago. I am going to reload it, and start updating every Thursday in what I call 'Throwback Thursday'. Let me make this perfectly clear: It's not the best written fanfiction, but I hope you enjoy it! **

* * *

Gabriella had finally returned to Mystic Falls. To be quite fair, she hadn't been gone long- only one month with her father in Ireland. She said she went with him to help him with his research, but the truth is that she was scared. There were so many people dying and so many things happening that she didn't want to be a part of. She loved her friends, and she wanted them to be safe, but how could she help protect them from the vampires?

She wasn't going to leave. She genuinely liked Stefan- he was her best friend, and she honestly thought he was perfect for Elena. Then there was Damon. Sure, he did things that she didn't like, but she knew he wasn't bad, he was just hurt. She tolerated him for Elena's sake. To say that all the vampires made her leave would be unfair. The last straw was when Katherine- the Elena lookalike- had killed Caroline and turned her into a vampire. She had tried to help her friend, but she just couldn't handle the fact that Caroline was actually dead.

She took some time away, and it was exactly what she needed. She was ready to face anything life through at her. She would rekindle her friendship with the girls, and she would feel better about herself for doing it. Gabriella McLoughlin was no coward, and she wouldn't run again.

The sleek black SUV pulled into the driveway. Gabriella was sad that her dad couldn't come home with her, but she was glad to be back. She was in the back seat with her head against the window, willing her eyes to stay open long enough to get into bed.

Her brother turned the key and the motor stopped running. He smiled back at Gabriella. "Well, are you ready to be attacked by our family, or are you sleeping in the car?" he chuckled.

Gabriella smiled. For as long as she could remember, Ashton had been her favorite sibling. Of course she would never mention that, but he was the closest in age to her, and she knew she could count on him to protect her. He was like her best friend, and she always felt better when he was around.

"I suppose I can go say hello to the family that hasn't seen me in a month" she sighed dramatically.

She opened the car door and stepped out. She would bring in her bags tomorrow- right now she'd be lucky to muster the energy to climb the steps. When she got to the front door, Ashton opened it for her.

She smelled her mom's chicken soup cooking, and she smiled. She was finally home.

"Mom, we're here!" Ashton announced.

"We're in the kitchen" Athena shouted.

Gabriella took her coat off and hung it on the hook by the door before making her way to the kitchen. She walked in and looked at the table, where her mother was speaking with a man she had never seen before. They both stood when she walked in, but he was looking at her with wide eyes. If the term _like you've seen a ghost _was ever appropriate, this would be the time.

"Ah, here she is. Mister Mikaelson, this is my daughter Gabriella. She just got back. Gabriella, this is Niklaus Mikaelson. His family is moving into town, and he wanted to introduce himself to some of the families" her mother said.

Mister Mikaelson seemed to have gotten over his initial shock, and smiled at her. She reached out her hand to shake his, but instead he kissed the back of her hand. She smiled- nobody had ever done that before.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Gabriella. You may call me Klaus" he said in that gorgeous accent of his.

_Klaus!_ So this was the man they had been trying to fight. She got regular updates from Bonnie and Caroline on what had happened, even if she didn't want to be in on it personally. This was the monster responsible for killing Jenna, Elena, and probably countless others. He had possessed Alaric, and made Bonnie kill herself by using too much magic. This was the one they had risked everything to fight.

She wanted to kill him right then. She wanted to make him feel the pain that her friends had felt. However, she knew that she couldn't do that. She simply removed her hand from his and looked down.

"It is a pleasure, Mister Mikaelson. If you'll excuse me, I am a bit tired from the plane ride, so I'm going to go upstairs" Gabriella said quietly.

"Sweetheart, there is dinner on the stove" Athena said.

"Thank you, but I'm not very hungry. I'll eat later" she replied before going to her bedroom.

She closed her bedroom door and locked it. She entered her bathroom and turned the water on for a well-deserved shower. While the water was warming, she took some pajamas and underwear out of her drawer and laid them on the bathroom sink. She stripped her clothes and got into the shower.

The water was hot, just as she liked it. It cascaded down her body, making her lightly tanned skin flush pink. It soaked her black curls, and she scrubbed them with shampoo until they were clean. After she was clean and rinsed, she turned the water off and wrapped the towel around her body. She brushed her teeth before drying off and dressing in her pajamas.

She walked into her bedroom, and found it odd that her light was off. She clearly remembered leaving it on. She walked to the wall and flipped the switch. She almost shrieked when she saw someone sitting on her bed. It was Klaus.

"It would be wise not to scream, little one" he said quietly.

Gabriella tried to slow her breathing. "How did you get in my room?" she asked.

"I climbed through the window" he shrugged.

"Why?" she asked.

"We need to have a chat. Please, sit" he said.

"O-okay" she said as she sat in her computer chair.

Klaus smiled. How many victims had seen that same look before he killed them? He looked at her for a moment before he began speaking.

"You just got back to town from a visit with your father, am I correct?" he asked.

"Um, yes. That's correct" she said.

"Well, allow me to fill you in on a few things. My family and I wish to move into this town. We wish to live peacefully- but if provoked we will fight back, do you understand my meaning?" he asked.

"Yes. If you wish to live peacefully then I see no reason to be uncivil towards each other, but I hope you don't expect me to expand my offer of friendship to you after what you have done to my friends. I'm sure you understand my meaning" she said.

He smiled, but it wasn't creepy as it had been before. This was a genuine smile, one that made him look… almost human. "I think that agreement seems fair. Although, your friends seem to want me dead, and they are trying everything they can think of to accomplish that."

"I don't know why you would expect anything else- after all, you turned their worlds upside down in the matter of weeks. However, I give you my word that I will not _personally _try to kill you. I will not betray my friends by telling you their plans, but I will not try to kill you personally" Gabriella said.

"You seem to be quite the deal maker, Miss Gabriella. It seems that is the best you are going to offer… _for now" _he said, and flashed out of her room before she could reply.

Gabriella sighed and unlocked her door. She didn't like to sleep with it closed, so she left it cracked before crawling into bed. She heard the clicking of her dog's feet on the hardwood floor before Sarita jumped into bed with her. The German shepherd took up most of the bed, but Gabriella didn't mind. Sarita had been her best friend since they were both young, and Gabriella couldn't imagine her not being there. It had been a long day, and Gabby closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

* * *

Elijah stood holding the heart of the unfortunate hybrid. Klaus looked stunned as he dropped the heart- unceremoniously.

"So Niklaus…" he began.

"Elijah" Klaus breathed.

"What'd I miss?" he asked.

Klaus stood with a stunned expression on his face. He had never been speechless before, but there was a first time for everything.

"You look surprised to see me. I guess it wasn't you that removed the dagger from my chest" Elijah continued while walking towards Niklaus.

Klaus tried to compose himself, but he was scared out of his mind. "You look like you could do with a drink, and we have a lot to discuss, so shall we?" he asked.

Elijah threw the bloody rag to the floor before throwing Niklaus through the doors, sending broken glass flying in all directions. Klaus moved to stand.

"Easy! I just finished renovating!" he growled before smashing Elijah into a table.

"You know, you have every right to be mad at me, but I kept my word. I reunited you with our family" he said before Elijah pushed him into a coffin.

Klaus spun and opened it, revealing a daggered Kol, before removing it from his chest and holding it over his brother's. "Don't make me do this to you again, Elijah."

"Come on. Use it. I dare you. You'll have Kol to deal with" he said.

Klaus lowered the dagger a bit before saying "Mikael is dead."

"What did you say?" Elijah asked, standing again.

"I killed him, with his own weapon. He's gone Elijah, forever" Klaus said.

"Why do our family remain in these coffins? Finn for over nine-hundred years, Kol for over a century" Elijah growled.

"Because of Stefan Salvatore. He holds the one thing keeping me from freeing them. There are things that you do not know about our past, Elijah. Our father's death. Things I never wanted you to know, but I'm ready to tell you now." Klaus moved to dip the dagger in the white ash. "I only ask that you remember the oath of loyalty you once swore to me."

"What are you doing?" Elijah asked as Klaus moved to place the dagger back into Kol's heart.

"Always and forever," Klaus began while ignoring the question. "I need you, to stand by my side. Be my brother. Help me… destroy Stefan, and I promise you our family will be whole again." Klaus finished, as he closed Kol's coffin.

* * *

Gabriella paced as Caroline stood by the window facing the hallway. She had always liked Mister Forbes, and she didn't know what to do now that he was transitioning.

"I compelled the nurse to stay out of this room" Caroline said.

"You'll be safe here" Gabriella chimed in.

Bill Forbes wouldn't sit still. "My wound is completely healed. I need something to eat" he said.

"Uh, Daddy, why don't you just come lay down, and just relax?" Caroline offered.

"I can't. I'm too wired and my pulse is racing" Bill said as he moved to stand by the window.

"That's the effect of his body wanting to transition" Gabriella said.

Caroline's expression was pained. "Well, maybe Dr. Fell can give him something" she said.

"She's done enough" Bill replied.

The door opened and Elena stepped in. "I called your mom."

"Thanks" Caroline said.

Gabriella was confused. Who would attack Bill Forbes? He hadn't provoked anyone.

"Mr. Forbes, did you see your attacker?" Gabriella asked.

"I didn't see anyone. I tried to sneak out the back exit and someone came up from behind" he said.

"Look, we'll figure this out. But, in the meantime, we need to get you some blood" Caroline said.

"I'm not drinking any blood" Bill said.

Caroline's eyes went wide and she looked to Gabriella and Elena.

"You have to. You died with vampire blood in your system" Elena began.

"If you don't feed and finish the transition into a vampire then you'll die" Gabriella finished.

Bill wasn't looking at either of them. He was looking Caroline in the eyes, as if that would make her understand better. "I understand how it works, and that's what I'm prepared to do. Now get me out of this hospital. I smell blood everywhere" he said before walking away.

* * *

Caroline, Elena, and Gabby were sitting on the front porch steps. Gabriella wanted so badly to comfort her friend, but Caroline wasn't ready to accept her father's imminent death. When Gabriella was upset, Caroline was the best at comforting her. She would sit with her and pull her in for a hug while Gabriella cried or ranted, or whatever she needed to do, so that's what Gabby would do for Caroline.

"Did you hear back from Tyler yet?" Elena asked.

"No, and I've left messages for him everywhere. I… so does Alaric really think that Dr. Fell did it?" Caroline replied.

Gabriella looked down. Dr. Fell was Athena's cousin, which made her a relative of Gabby's. She didn't want Dr. Fell to be responsible for killing Bill. She just didn't think it was in her to do that.

"He doesn't know what to think" Elena said.

"What about you?" Caroline asked.

Elena chuckled. "I wish the girl Alaric liked wasn't in the middle of all this. He deserves to be happy. But, yeah, she looks guilty."

"And you, Gabby?" Caroline asked.

Gabriella sighed. She had been thinking about it for quite some time, and as much as she didn't want Dr. Fell to be responsible, everything was pointing to her.

"I know she's my cousin, and I don't want it to be her. I keep wishing that we could find a reason not to blame her, but… Elena said it right. She looks guilty, and that's why I told your mom" Gabriella confessed.

"My mom's in there sitting with my dad" Caroline said, before giving a small, humorless laugh. "I don't think they've been in the same room this long since I was ten years old. Is there any chance that Tyler did it?"

Both girls looked at Caroline. "What?"

"If Klaus wanted to mess with you… and he's sired to Klaus. He does everything that he's told—"

"No. I don't think Tyler did it" Elena said.

"Me neither" Gabriella said.

"Well, I can't just let my father die. I'm—I'm gonna force him to feed…" Caroline said before she began stammering. She was going to lose it any second. She kept it together all day, but it seemed like it was all crashing down on her now. Gabriella wrapped her arms around Caroline's shoulders.

"But he doesn't want to, Caroline. The only thing your dad has is his choice" Elena said.

"I hated him so much for what he did to me. So much. Now, all I want to do is save his life" Caroline said.

Elena smiled a pained smile. "Of course you do, he's your dad."

"What was the hardest part for you?" Caroline asked the girls. Both girls had lost parents in one way or another, and they didn't want this for her.

"Realizing all the things they wouldn't be there for" Elena said.

"The things that you just need your dad for, you know?" Gabriella finished. She might have a man that she calls dad, but she never had a real 'father'. Carter and Athena were great guardians, but it wasn't the same.

Caroline didn't reply. She was trying so hard not to cry. Elena moved to join in on comforting Caroline. Someone stepped in front of them, and when they looked up they saw Matt.

"Hey" Matt said.

"Hey" Caroline replied, before she stood up to give him a hug. She stood in his arms and cried.

* * *

Gabriella knocked on the door to Klaus' mansion. It wasn't difficult to find, really. She just needed to find the largest house in Mystic Falls and that would be the most likely choice. She heard footsteps moving towards the door, and it opened to reveal a young woman wearing a gold top and black skirt. Gabriella was confused.

"Um, I need to speak with Klaus, please" she said.

The girl motioned for Gabriella to follow, and so she did. When she got to the dining room, the scene that she found was horrifying. Klaus looked like he was ready to kill Stefan.

"What are you doing? Stop it!" she exclaimed.

"I will stop when my brother, and his brother, returns with the final coffin. What are you doing in my home?" he asked.

"I need to speak with you. Please, just take Stefan's hand out of the fire. What happened to living peacefully?" Gabriella asked.

Klaus looked at her with disbelief. "Very well" he said before stabbing Stefan in the lower back with a piece of wood, and breaking off the end, causing him to become paralyzed until the wood was removed. Gabriella gasped at the sight. "Let's talk, love."

She stood there with wide eyes. "At first I fully believed that you wanted to live in peace, but I had to make sure. Did you send Tyler- or one of your other hybrids- to kill Bill Forbes?" she asked.

"Now why would I do that?" he said.

"I don't know why you would do it. I'm not even saying that you _did. _But the only other suspect right now is Dr. Fell, and I had to make sure. I don't want it to be her" Gabriella said.

"I'm sorry love, but I had nothing to do with this. Please send my condolences to Caroline" he said.

"He isn't dead yet. He is in transition, but he doesn't want to complete it. I think she's still holding out hope that he'll turn, but I know that he won't. I'm not a pony express, so if you want to send your condolences, wait until he is actually dead and do it yourself" Gabriella said.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. She was just as he remembered. She was full of fire and spunk. He liked that about her. She would make the process of waking Kol much easier, when the time came. Before Klaus could say anything else, Elijah showed up with Damon. He was looking at Gabriella in shock, before quickly composing himself.

Gabriella stepped to the side, waiting to finish her conversation with Klaus. She stood next to Damon.

"Elijah. Why haven't you left?" Klaus asked.

"Well where are your manners, brother? You forgot dessert" he said before removing a silk cloth from the tray. On it were two silver daggers. Gabriella's eyes widened.

"What have you done?" Klaus asked.

"What have you done? See, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now" Elijah said as a young man appeared behind them.

Klaus actually looked frightened. "Kol…" he said.

"Long time brother" Kol replied.

Another man flashed in front of him, wearing clothing from many centuries ago. Gabriella was certain her expression would have been comical had the situation not been so serious. The man grabbed one of the silver daggers and flashed to Klaus, whose hands were raised in a nonthreatening position.

"Finn, don't" he said, but Finn stabbed the dagger through his hand anyway, causing Niklaus to scream.

Klaus flashed to the steps, where a pretty blonde girl appeared. "Rebekah!" he said.

She stabbed him with the dagger before saying "This is for our mother."

Klaus stumbled backwards as Kol grabbed him by his arms.

"You're free to go" Elijah said.

Damon motioned with his head for Stefan and Gabriella to move along. As she walked in front of Niklaus, Kol and Rebekah looked at her with wide eyes. Kol almost let go of Niklaus before he regained his wits.

"This is family business" Elijah said with a smirk.

Gabriella left with the Salvatore brothers, and she had never been happier to leave someone's home in her life. It was getting heated in there, and everyone kept staring at her as if she were the ghost of Christmas past. She ran to her car, but her hands were shaking so badly that she dropped her keys. She didn't mind the vampires- she was used to them. What she did mind were the looks everyone was giving her.

She tried putting the keys into the lock on her door, but a hand reached over hers.

"You're in no condition to be driving. You're shaking like a leaf on a tree. I'll drive you" Damon said.

Gabriella frowned. "I'm not asking for your help, Damon."

"That doesn't mean you don't need it. I'm helping you anyway, now walk around" he said.

Her hands were still shaking, so she figured he was right. She walked to the passenger side and got in. She buckled her seatbelt as he drove away.


	3. Chapter 2

**FUN FACT: When I wrote this the first time, my model for Gabriella was Danielle Campbell. But, since she's playing Davina on The Originals, I'll find a new model. :) Enjoy! **

* * *

The sun was streaming through Gabriella's curtains. She loved that her room faced east, because she would rather wake up to the sun coming into her room as opposed to an annoying alarm clock. She looked at her phone and saw that it was five in the morning. She had always been a morning riser, and she took a deep breath as she laid there, the events of last night were still weighing on her mind. She swung her legs out of the bed and walked to the window- pushing it open to breath in the fresh morning air.

She walked to her closet to pick out her outfit for the day before showering. She was still wearing the clothes from last night, and she felt like she needed a shower. She found her favorite pink top and skinny jeans. She laid them on her bed, along with her underwear and bra. She went into her bathroom and closed the door, locking it behind her. She turned the water on as hot as it would go, and grabbed her coconut shampoo-and-conditioner. After she was clean and the water was almost cold, she turned the shower off and stepped out, grabbing towels to wrap around her hair and body.

She dried off and put her underwear on. She wrapped a silk robe around her so she could go fix her hair. She began towel drying it, before reaching to plug in the hairdryer. As she dried her hair- which took forever because it was so thick- she thought about what today would be like. She would face the day with a smile, as always, but she was getting nervous about the possibility of seeing one of the Originals again. They look at her as if they know her, but she had never met them before in her life.

Once her hair was dry, she pinned some of the curls on the side back and fixed her bangs. She indulged herself for a moment, smiling at her silky curls. She wasn't a self-absorbed person by any means, but that was one feature she loved about herself. She put mascara and eyeliner on, along with some tan eye shadow. She used a light pink, sheer gloss on her lips before slipping her boots on and walking downstairs. She smiled when saw Ashton sitting at the table, eating a huge breakfast. You'd think the college would offer food with the price of tuition.

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty lives!" Ashton exclaimed, and she smiled as she stole a piece of toast off of his plate. She was meeting Bonnie at the grill to spend some time together. She was trying to let Bonnie have some time with her mother, but the young witch insisted on some best friend bonding time.

"I'm going to the grill, Ash" she said.

"Hold up, I'll drive you. I am going to meet Matt there anyway" he said.

"Okay. Thanks" she said before opening the door.

The drive to the grill was uneventful. They didn't really talk about anything in particular, but they did sing along with the radio. That was the number one thing that they had to bond over- music. They loved it, and Ashton was going to college to become a music teacher. He was good at anything concerning music, and Gabriella was proud of him.

They entered the grill and saw Bonnie sitting at the bar, talking to Matt and a young man Gabriella had never seen. She saw the Original hybrid and his brother sitting beside them, but not paying them any attention. It seems everything had been resolved. Ashton and Gabriella walked up to Bonnie.

"Hey Bonnie, hey Matt. Any news on Caroline?" Gabriella asked.

"She's still pretty upset" Bonnie said, quietly.

"That's understandable. You never really heal from the death of a parent" Gabriella said.

She noticed that, even though he wasn't looking directly at her, Kol was intently listening in on their conversation. She furrowed her brow, but ignored it and returned her focus to Bonnie.

"So, Bonnie, who have you brought with you today?" she asked.

"This is my step-brother, Jamie. Jamie, this is Gabriella McLoughlin" Bonnie said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Gabriella" he said.

"Please, call me Gabby. It's nice to meet you as well" she replied, not taking her eyes off of his, and for good reason. His eyes were beautiful, and she couldn't stop staring.

Ashton cleared his throat, bringing her back to the real world. She looked away, embarrassed, and Bonnie grabbed her hand and pulled her to a table.

"I can't believe you just had eye-sex with my step brother!" Bonnie laughed.

"Shh… people will hear you! I did not have eye-sex with anyone. He is just very pleasing to look at, that's all" Gabriella said.

"Mhm, sure. If you say so. Anyway, he is already friends with Matt so I think he's going to stay and chat with him. We have girl things to catch up on" Bonnie replied.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Okay, can we talk about why we're having this conversation here and not at a sleepover?"

"Because Caroline would kill us if we had a sleepover without her, and I'm not asking her until she is done mourning her father" Bonnie said.

"You're right, that's not fair to her. We need to do something, though. I know what it's like to lose a parent, and I was lucky to have dad and mom there for me. If they hadn't adopted me, I don't know what I would've done" Gabriella said.

"Your case was different. You didn't lose your mother like she lost her father. And, we will be there for her, but right now she needs to be alone and process it. Now, let's talk about you. How was Ireland?" Bonnie said with a grin.

Gabriella couldn't help but smile back. To be honest, Ireland had been amazing. But, she didn't get away from anything supernatural; she just got away from the constant killing.

"It was _so _much fun. I found out a lot about my mother's side of the family. Dad said he'd take me to Mexico too, if I wanted to find out about my father's side, but I don't know. Anyway, Ireland can be summed up in one word- _amazing"_ Gabriella said.

"Really? Is it as beautiful as the pictures?" Bonnie asked.

"The pictures don't do it justice. You can't capture all that beauty in a picture. It's as magical as it is beautiful, Bonnie" Gabriella said.

"How so?" Bonnie asked.

Gabriella smiled. "I met a vampire who used to be a witch. His name is Jon, and he taught me _everything_ he knew about magic and vampires and werewolves. It was very interesting."

"He used to be a witch? Why did he turn?" Bonnie asked, looking appalled.

"Because his true love was turned. She was a witch before she was turned as well. It was a marvelous story, and when he spoke of her, his eyes were completely filled with love. It was… wonderful" Gabriella said.

"That sounds amazing" Bonnie said with wide eyes, "what was her name? The girl that he turned for" she asked.

Gabriella looked back to the bar and saw that the two Originals had been joined by Elijah and Rebekah. They kept looking over their shoulder at her, and it was creeping her out.

"Lucinda, or Lucy, I think it was. I didn't have a chance to meet her though, because she was off looking for something important. I didn't ask what it was, though" Gabriella said.

At the mention of the name 'Lucy' they all tensed and shared looks. Gabriella was getting freaked out, and she needed some fresh air.

"I'm sorry Bonnie, but I need some air. Is it okay if we have that sleepover to catch up? Whenever Caroline is back to herself again" Gabriella said.

Bonnie followed her gaze to the Originals, and she knew why Gabriella wanted to leave. "Yes, of course. I'll text you later, okay" she said.

"Yeah. Thank Bonnie. Bye" she said before finding Ashton. He was laughing with Jamie and Matt.

"Hey Ash, I think I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll see you at home, okay?" she said.

"Sure thing Gabby" he said, giving her a hug.

"Bye Matt. It was nice meeting you Jamie" she said before leaving.

She walked out the door and headed towards the park.

* * *

Gabriella loved nature. It was serene and beautiful, and it was the only thing that could help her think. She would go to the park, and find the secret path to a small waterfall that most people didn't know about. Of course, everyone knew about the large waterfall that was here, but it didn't hold as much beauty as the one Gabriella went to.

It flowed into a small creek, which flowed into the river. There was a large willow tree beside the water, and the branches came down and made a small sanctuary when you stepped through them. When you got inside, there was a bench that sat across from a modest headstone. When Gabriella was feeling particularly confused or lost, she would come here to clear her mind. She felt like her mother was with her here, and that alone was enough to make her feel better. Sometimes, if she closed her eyes, she swore she could smell her mother's perfume.

She sat on the bench and leaned back, closing her eyes. The air was crisp and clean, because it had rained that morning. She smiled and pulled her iPod out of her bag. She put her headphones in her ears and began listening to quiet music. She needed to organize her thoughts, and think about what she saw last night.

From what she gathered, the daggers put an Original _out-of-commission, _so to speak. Apparently Klaus had used those daggers on his siblings. That would make sense of the strange clothing Finn and Kol were wearing. She sighed and stretched out on the bench. She didn't understand Klaus. First he talks of peace, and then she walks in on him trying to burn Stefan alive? Does that mean she can't trust him at all? She sighed and opened her eyes, only to jump out of her skin when she saw someone standing in front of her.

"Oh my goodness, you scared the daylights out of me" she said, placing her hand over he heart.

"I apologize, Miss McLoughlin, it was not my intention" Elijah said.

"Um, that's okay… would you like to sit?" she asked.

Elijah just smiled, and she moved over so that he could sit if he wanted.

"No, thank you" he replied.

"I'm sorry for intruding on your… family moment last night. I just came to speak with Klaus" she said.

Elijah grinned. She had never seen him grin before, but it wasn't unflattering. "I wanted to ask you about that. What were you speaking with him about?"

"Oh. I just wanted to know if he had anything to do with the death of Bill Forbes. Don't get me wrong- I meant no offence- he was the only other option besides Dr. Fell, and I suppose I didn't _want _it to be her, and I was making sure Klaus didn't go back on his word" Gabriella said.

"What word was that, Miss McLoughlin?" he asked.

"Gabriella…" she began, "and- when I came home from my trip, he was speaking with my mother in the kitchen. I didn't realize who he was until she said his name, and then I was a bit frightened, because I know what happened to my friends. So, I excused myself to go shower, and when I got out he was just sitting on my bed."

"And you made an agreement with him?" Elijah asked.

"Well, not really… I mean, I suppose. He just said he wanted to make it clear that he wanted to live here in peace with his family. I was confused as to why he would tell me this, but I guess he thought I would try to avenge all of my friends. I told him that I wouldn't betray me friends- who at this point all want him dead- but I also wouldn't _personally _try to kill him." Gabriella explained.

"I see" Elijah said. He wasn't a man of many words, apparently, but he seemed like the stable one of the family.

"However, when I got to his home, he was attempting to set fire to my friend Stefan" Gabriella said.

Elijah sighed. "You must understand, Gabriella that Niklaus is _not _to be trusted. He will eventually find a way to get whatever it is that he wants. He will twist your words so that he is technically not breaking the agreement."

"I understand. Most people do that anyway. That doesn't mean I am going to break my word to him, though. That would make me no better" Gabriella stated.

"You seem to be a smart girl, Gabriella, so I will leave you. I hope that you heed my warning" Elijah said before turning.

Before he could leave, Gabriella called to him; "Elijah, is the rest of your family to be trusted?"

Elijah barely turned to her. "Not completely, Miss McLoughlin" he said before walking away.

Gabriella sighed and sunk into the bench. Now she had even more to think about.

* * *

Gabriella walked back to her house as dusk was falling. It was a pretty night, and she wanted to sit and enjoy it. She had stayed out long enough, though, and she had to get back. She rounded the corner and walked towards her home, but she noticed that her window was open. _That's odd_ she thought. She ran up the steps and opened the front door.

Everything looked fine, so she ran up to her room. She looked around- in the bathroom, the closet, and under the bed- but there was nobody there. She just shook her head and breathed out a laugh. She was being paranoid. Her sister probably went on a cleaning spree and forgot to close the window in her bedroom. She walked to the window and closed it.

She turned to get dressed for bed, when she saw it. There, on her pillow, was a red tulip attached to a small envelope. She tilted her head to the side and walked to her bed to pick up the envelope. She sat down as she read it.

_Please join the Mikaelson Family, this evening at Seven O'clock for dancing, cocktails, and celebration._

Wow, they were certainly making themselves known. She put the invitation on her dresser, and she picked up the tulip. It was her favorite flower, and it was very beautiful. She smiled and put it on her bedside table. She put her pajamas on and slipped into bed. When she slept she dreamt of her mother.


	4. Chapter 3

**Fun Fact: This was my first story, and my character becomes the poster child for a Mary-Sue. Don't despair! I'm working on a story as we speak to make up for it! lol. **

**Also, I want to say a big THANK YOU to the reviewers! I wish they guests would have left their names so I could thank them properly! :D**

* * *

The party was in full swing when she arrived. She cursed herself for being late, but she figured that it was fashionable to be late, right? She gathered her wits and handed her keys to the valet. Wow, a valet? This was a serious party. She walked up the stairs to the front door, and it opened to let her in. The sight she saw took her breath away. It was gigantic! There was a beautiful grand staircase that led to the second floor.

She made her way to the room where they served the cocktails, and asked for a glass of water. She didn't want to get drunk before the party even began.

"No drinking tonight, Miss McLoughlin?" said a heavily accented voice. She gasped and turned around to see none other than the original hybrid himself.

"I'm sorry. You startled me. This is a beautiful party Klaus" Gabriella replied, trying to calm her heart.

"Well, thank you Miss McLoughlin-"

"Please, call me Gabriella." she said.

"Of course, Gabriella. I hope you enjoy yourself tonight" he said. He was smirking as though he just made a joke.

"Of course, thank you for inviting me, and no. No drinking before I actually get to dance" she said.

She continued chatting with Klaus for a few minutes, and found that she was actually enjoying herself. He wasn't too bad, even though she knew that he could kill her in an instant with no remorse. He excused himself when he saw Caroline walk in, and Gabriella smiled after him. Maybe Caroline would finally get the gorgeous man she always wanted. She mingled for a while, before someone began tapping on a champagne flute to get everyone's attention. She looked to the grand staircase, where she saw the Original family standing.

"Welcome. Thank you for joining us…" Elijah began, but as Gabriella was looking at him, she could feel eyes on her. It was making her skin crawl. She looked up at the top of the group of Mikaelsons', and there was the youngest Mikaelson brother staring at her. When she looked at him, he averted his gaze, but it still left her feeling a bit lightheaded. She returned her gaze to the man as he continued speaking. "…it is tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries old-waltz. So if each of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

People continued speaking once he was finished, and they began shuffling around to find a dance partner. Gabriella saw the younger Salvatore brother gazing after Elena and Damon, so she went over to ask for a dance. She could feel eyes on her as she walked, and she had a pretty good idea of whose eyes were staring at her. She ignored it as she walked to the dance with Stefan on her arm.

* * *

Kol stood at the top of the stairs where his family was gathered. His mother wasn't here yet, but that was of little importance. He was beginning to get bored, and he was just itching for something to do. This tedious mingling wouldn't keep his attention for much longer. Elijah had just begun tapping the glass, and he scanned the crowd to see if there were any potential dance partners- he couldn't just dance with anyone, after all. He desperately yearned to dance with _her_ again, but he would only be able to if she had accepted his invitation.

As if conjured from the depths of his mind, his eyes found her in the crowd. It took everything he had not to flash down there and make certain she was really here. His eyes never left her face. He was drinking in every detail as Elijah continued his speech. He could tell she was becoming uncomfortable, and she looked up to where he stood. Her eyes locked with his for a moment, and he almost lost himself in their green beauty, so he quickly averted his gaze to something else, anything else, to keep him from making a scene in the middle of Elijah's speech.

Elijah announced that it was time to find a partner, and he carefully made his way down the stairs. When he got to the bottom, she was walking to ask the younger Salvatore for a dance. He wanted to tear him apart limb-from-limb, but he kept his cool as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his sister standing there and looking at Gabriella. He remembered their friendship, and he knew she would be happy to see her again.

"Find a partner, and keep up appearances. Don't let her get away Kol" Rebekah said.

Kol nodded absentmindedly, and positioned himself so that he would get her when the partners changed. He was listening intently on Stefan's conversation with Gabriella.

"So, are you happy to be back in Mystic Falls?" Stefan asked.

"Of course I am. I missed you Stefan" she replied.

"A lot happened when you left" he said.

"I'm aware. Someone is constantly reminding me that I should be careful around the Mikaelsons, and I'm grateful for the advice, but I'm not going to judge based on what others tell me" she continued, and that comment made Kol smirk.

"And why is that?" he asked.

"Should I be judging you for letting Elena get cozy with Damon? You were good for her, Stefan. He would take away her free will if he thought it would make her safe. At least you didn't think she was stupid" Gabriella said, and he could see Stefan looking upset.

"That's between Elena and me, Gabby" he said.

"I know it is, and my opinion makes no difference. You're my friend, Stefan. I'm not going to let them take me over to the dark side- as Damon put it. I don't even understand why there has to be sides at all" Gabriella continued, murmuring the last bit.

It was time to change partners, and as Stefan twirled Gabriella she landed in the arms of someone else. She was shocked to see the young man who stared at her from the staircase. Kol- she remembered his name was. He was smiling a kind smile, and she couldn't help but return it. Kol was struck speechless for the first time in many centuries, but he quickly recovered.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Kol" he said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kol. I'm Gabriella" she replied. He swore his undead heart skipped a beat when she said his name. How long had it been since he heard her innocent voice? How long since he had seen her beautiful smile? How long since he ran his fingers through her waist-length, black curls? She was back, and he wasn't letting her go that easily.

"So, how are you enjoying the party?" he asked.

"It's fabulous. Your mother really knows how to entertain" she replied, and he smirked. Gabriella was never one to light the sun with a lantern, so when she gave a compliment she meant it.

They continued the dance in silence, and she couldn't keep her eyes from his face. She didn't know what was going on, because she had never met him before in her life. She knew she was staring, and that it was incredibly rude, so she glanced around at the other couples. She noticed that his siblings were staring, and it made her nervous.

She didn't want to seem rude, but she didn't like the attention they were getting. "Do I have something on my face? Your siblings are staring" she whispered. She had forgotten that they could hear her, and they quickly averted their gaze as Kol cleared his throat.

"I apologize for that. Perhaps they are jealous that they don't get to dance with you" he said with a smirk.

Gabriella rolled her pretty eyes. "Yes, I'm certain that's the reason." He had forgotten just how sarcastic she could be, and chuckled at her comment. She decided that she liked the sound, and vowed to make him laugh more often.

The dance ended, and she spent the few minutes following the dance speaking with Kol. He was quite interesting, and she thought he would make a nice friend.

"I heard Stefan say that you just returned to Mystic Falls" he said.

"Eavesdrop much?" she said, giggling.

He laughed and said "I should know of the conversations going on in my family's home."

"Well, in that case, yes. I did just return after a month in Ireland" she said.

"And what is so important in Ireland?" he asked.

She smiled. "My father is an archaeologist, and he was there doing research. I wanted to learn more about my family history, so I went with him for a month."

"You're Irish?" he asked, surprised.

"Half-Irish, yes. My mother's side of the family is Irish" she replied, and her eyes grew sad and reminiscent. He regretted bringing it up. "If you'll excuse me, I need to find Elena" she said before walking off in the direction she had gone.

Kol mentally kicked himself for upsetting her. She never spoke about her family history in the past. All he knew was that her aunt and uncle adopted her. She would not tell him why. He went to find Rebekah after their little chat about Matt earlier.

"I'm itching to kill something" he began, "what are we waiting for?"

"The mayor cornered me. Give me fifteen minutes to lure Matt outside" Rebekah replied.

"Outside? What's wrong with right here, on the stairs? Make a spectacle of it" he said.

"You sound like an idiot, Kol. Mother would kill you if you ruined her party, and I'm sure Gabriella would prefer not to see that side of you. See you outside" she said, returning to find Matt.

* * *

Gabriella made her way to the restroom. She needed a few minutes to herself after remembering what she found in Ireland. Her mother had met a man there when she returned to visit family one summer. He proposed, but she said no. If she had married that man, she might still be alive. Of course, Gabriella wouldn't be here, but her mother would still be alive. She knew she was being unreasonable, but wishful thinking is better than no thinking at all. She heard Elena speaking, and listened through the wall.

"It's only sage," a woman, whom she assumed to be Esther, said, "I've spelled it so we can speak freely without fear of being overheard. That'll be all Finn, thank you."

The doors to the room closed, and she could hear footsteps walking into the next room. She became friends with a witch in Ireland who knew the same spell. It wouldn't protect against the ears of humans, because there would be no way that they could overhear the conversation without being in the vicinity of the room. If they were that close to the room, it would be obvious that they were eavesdropping. The room was right beside the bathroom, so she locked the door before pressing her ear against the wall and listened intently.

The woman continued speaking, "You must have a million questions for me, Elena. Please."

She heard the rustle of fabric before Elena spoke. "How are you alive? Are you a ghost, or-" she asked.

"Not exactly," replied the woman. "When I died, the witch Ayanna preserved my body with a spell. She was a close friend of mine, an ancestor of your friend Bonnie."

"So that's why only Bonnie and her mother could open up the casket" Elena concluded.

"They complete the Bennett bloodline. I drew power from them, and their ancestors who were with me on the other side" Esther explained.

"So you've been on the Other Side for a thousand years?" Elena asked.

"Nature's way of punishing me for turning my family into vampires. But there is a way for me to undo the evil I created" Esther said.

Elena spoke again, "You're here to help us kill Klaus, aren't you?"

Gabriella had to put a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp. Why would she kill her own son for her wrongdoings?

"One thing at a time, Elena. For now, I simply need your help" was Esther's reply.

She heard more rustling of fabric, and she discerned that someone was walking. She heard them stop before she heard Esther begin to speak again.

"I understand Rebekah shared the story of my family. How I upset the balance of nature by turning my children into vampires."

"She said you did it to protect them from the werewolves" Elena said, as compassionate as ever.

"It's true. But in no time at all they began to feed on human blood. They ravaged the town with no remorse. Eventually Niklaus turned against me" Esther explained.

Gabriella tried her best not to judge, but she couldn't help but have bitter thoughts towards Esther. _Whose fault is that, mommy dearest?_ she thought before she could stop herself. Then she had another thought. From what Gabriella was told, Niklaus is immortal, so how could Esther kill him?

As if reading her thoughts, Elena asked "How are you going to kill him? He's immortal."

Metal clanged on what Gabriella assumed was a table. "It will take time, magic, and your assistance."

"What do I have to do with it?" Elena asked.

Esther explained how her children thought she was holding the ball to celebrate their reunion, but it was really a ruse to perform a spell. When she said the first step required blood from the doppelgänger, she could almost see Elena's expression in her mind. She knew Elena would be terrified of being sacrificed again, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to avoid making a sound. Her fears were put to rest when Esther explained it would only take a drop. "Its essence will be in the champagne toast later this evening. Will you do it, or shall I?"

Elena obviously didn't get a choice in the matter. Gabriella wanted to barge in and tell them to stop. That there had to be another way, and they couldn't do this. It wasn't fair that she got to just dispose of her child as if he were nothing. He certainly wasn't perfect, but it was Esther's fault in the first place.

"Elijah is more suspicious than the others, so he made need more persuasion. But they must _all_ drink at the toast in order to be linked as one."

"What do you mean 'linked as one" Elena asked.

"You said yourself, Klaus can't be killed, but tonight's spell links all my children together so that if one goes, they all go."

"What?" Elena asked.

"I love my family, Elena, but they are an abomination. I betrayed nature when I created them. It's my duty to kill them." Esther said.

Gabriella couldn't help the tear that fell from her eye. Rebekah had been nothing but kind to her at school, and Kol was kind to her tonight. Niklaus was charming, and Elijah was said to be quite moral. Elena had spoken highly of him. Certainly she wouldn't kill Elijah just to kill Klaus, right? Elena was better than that, _right?_ Gabriella checked her makeup and left the bathroom before Elena or Esther left the room. She ran down the hallway and back to the party.

Her mind was going in ten different directions, and she had to warn one of them. Niklaus would be too impulsive- he would try to kill Esther during the party. She couldn't tell Rebekah this news. A girl needed her mother, and Rebekah would be the most reluctant to believe it. She didn't know Finn at all, and she was certain he was the one working with Esther. That left Kol and Elijah. She didn't want Kol to drink it, but he seems reckless. She didn't want to ruin her chances of friendship with him by dropping the 'your-mother-is-still-evil-and-trying-to-kill-you' bomb on him.

That only left Elijah. From what Elena told her, Elijah was reserved and professional. He took honor very seriously, and Gabriella didn't see him as one to make a spectacle at the party. She found him speaking to the mayor.

"Miss McLoughlin, such a pleasure to see you here. I'm sorry we didn't get to speak earlier" he said.

Gabriella tried to put on her best smile, but she could tell it wasn't working too well. "Please, call me Gabriella. May we speak?"

"Of course, please excuse me Mayor Lockwood" he said before stepping away.

She followed him to what looked like a small study. He closed the door after she stepped in. "What did you need to speak to me about?" he asked.

Gabriella took a deep breath before speaking. "I just overheard a conversation your mother had with Elena. You cannot drink the champagne at the toast, okay? I can't tell you why right now, because there is no time, and the story is too long. Just, please do not drink the champagne, no matter what Elena tells you."

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't have time, just do not drink it. Please." she said with desperation clear in her voice.

"Okay. I won't drink the champagne. I will pretend" Elijah said.

"Thank you" she said before giving him a hug and rushing out the door, leaving a very confused Elijah behind.

* * *

Gabriella noticed Elijah speaking with Elena when she reached the party. She went to stand in front of them and hear their conversation. She felt bad for eavesdropping, but when she turned to look at Elijah she saw him nod at her.

"So how was my mother?" he asked.

"Intense" Elena replied.

"And for what reason did she need to speak with you in private?" Elijah asked. Elena was distracted by Esther coming down the stairs. "Elena. Should I be concerned about my mother's intentions?"

Gabriella absentmindedly, but discreetly nodded her head.

"She just wanted to apologize, for trying to have me killed" Elena said.

"So, it's true then? She's forgiven Klaus?" Elijah asked.

"It's true" Elena said, and Gabriella could feel tears prickling the back of her eyes. What happened to the Elena she knew?

She realized she was staring into space when she heard crystal ringing. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Waiters are coming round with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass." Esther began.

Gabriella had a flute of water in her hand, and she was desperately trying to find a way to trade with Elijah. The champagne was pink, so she got an idea. There was a brooch on her dress, so she discreetly unpinned it and pricked her finger, letting it bleed into her water. It was a similar pink to the champagne, and hopefully it would look the same to Esther and Elena.

"It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one" Esther said. From her peripheral vision, Gabriella saw Elijah standing beside her with his glass of champagne. She glanced at him, and when Esther looked away, they quickly switched glasses. Nobody would have noticed if they weren't paying attention.

"I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers" Esther said, raising her glass.

Immediately, a chorus of 'cheers' rose from the crowd as Elena moved to stand beside Elijah. Gabriella walked away as he turned to Elena and said "Cheers".

* * *

After the toast, Gabriella went to find Kol and apologize for her rude behavior earlier. She found him speaking to Rebekah, so she stepped aside for a moment to let them finish their conversation.

"There you are. I was waiting outside for you. Where's Matt?" he asked, which confused Gabriella. What could he want with Matt?

"About that, I, uh—I changed my mind. I don't want to ruin mother's night" Rebekah said.

"Don't tell me you like this boy. And what did he do? He gave you five seconds of his attention? Don't be so predictable, Rebekah" Kol replied. What the hell happened to the sweet guy that Gabriella was dancing with?

"You don't have to be rude about it. Just leave him be, okay?" Rebekah said before walking away. Gabriella instantly felt bad for Rebekah. Nobody deserved to be spoken to like that.

"As you wish, sister" he replied as she reentered the ballroom.

She left to find Matt instead of speaking with Kol. He had flashed away, and he could be anywhere by now. She found Matt walking on the second floor, where the balcony was. She tried catching up with him, but she was clumsy in her high-heels. "Matt" someone whispered, and she had a good idea who. Matt walked to the terrace before she could catch him. He turned around and was about to walk back in when Kol appeared behind him.

"Good evening. You're Rebekah's friend. We haven't met" Kol said.

Matt introduced himself "Matt Donovan."

Kol shook his hand while saying "Kol Mikaelson."

Gabriella heard a sick cracking noise and Matt grunting in pain as she rushed to help. "Stop it, what are you doing?" she asked as Damon appeared behind her.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. Easy on the hand- guy's a quarterback" Damon said before rushing forward and pushing Kol off the balcony. Gabriella just gasped and tried to process what she was witnessing. She helped Matt stand, avoiding his broken hand. She couldn't wrap her mind around what kind of person Kol was. One minute he was completely charming, and the next he was breaking random hands? What kind of person does that?

She got Matt to his feet and they started out of the mansion. The night had turned into a complete disaster. As she got to the front steps, she saw the original family standing there, looking at Kol lying on the ground.

"What happened?" Gabriella gasped.

"Damon's an idiot" Elena said before walking off. Gabriella just rolled her eyes and muttered "that doesn't even begin to cover it."

She took hold of Matt's good hand and began leading him to her car. "I can drive myself to the hospital Gabby" he said.

"I'm so happy for you Matt, now get in. I'm taking you and that's final" she said.

He knew better than to argue with her when she used that tone, and he got in the passenger side. She walked around to the driver's side and accidentally dropped her keys. Before she could pick them up, Elijah was there to do it for her. He handed them to her before saying "I hope you'll join us tomorrow to explain what you heard."

"Yeah, I will. Hold on…" she said before reaching in her car to pull out a pen and a scrap of paper. Matt just looked confused at her actions, but she smiled reassuringly. "Here's my number. Text me whenever you want me to come over. It might be best if they're all assembled so I only have to tell the story once."

"Thank you Miss- ahem, Gabriella. Excuse me." he said before walking away.

Gabriella slid into the driver's side and drove away from the mansion.


End file.
